Process of testing seeds.



B. H. & W. G. ADAMS.

PROCESS OF TESTING SEEDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1910.

1,062,682. Patented May 27, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA FLANDGRAPH CO..WASH1NGTON. D. c.

B. H. & W. G. ADAMS. PROCESS OF TESTING SEEDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1910.

Patented May 27, 1913.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COuWASHINGTON. [L c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURTON H. ADAMS AND WALTER C. ADAMS, OF DECORAH, IOTVA.

PROCESS OF TESTING SEEDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BURTON H. ADAMS and WALTER C. ADAMS, citizens of the United States, and residing at Decorah, in the county of VVinneshiek and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Process of Testing Seeds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of test ing seeds, and its object is to provide a simple but efiective process whereby the quality of the seeds may be readily determined, to the end that those unfit for profitable use may be culled out from the others.

In carrying out our improved process we preferably employ a cabinet of suitable construction, containing a series of slidable drawers or trays, arranged one above another and divided into a plurality of compartments, each of which is subdivided into smaller compartments adapted to contain the seeds.

The cabinet is equipped with means for heating the cabinet, and also a water feeding device for supplying water to the several trays successively, the water dripping from the uppermost tray into the tray immediately below-it and then into the next tray, and so on, and being discharged from the cabinet through a suitable outlet after it has passed through the lower tray of the series.

While our process is of course not restricted to the use of a cabinet of any special construction, that shown in the accompanying drawings has been found to be Well adapted for our purpose, and in order that the proc ess may be fully understood, the construction of this cabinet will be specifically described.

In the drawing: Figure l is a view in perspective of a cabinet of the character above outlined. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, showing one of the seed-containing trays in plan. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the cabinet. Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of one of the trays, showing seeds in position thereon, and Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary vertical section of one tray on an enlarged scale.

The reference numeral 1 designates the cabinet, supported upon suitable legs 2, and having its front wall formed with parallel transverse openings for the reception of the trays 3, having bottoms 4 of wire netting, or other foraminous material. The

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1910.

Patented May 27, 1913.

Serial No. 560,187.

side rails 5 of the trays are extended beyond the ends of the tray proper, leaving a space 6 between the fronts of the trays, and the flanged boards 7 which are outside of the cabinet and close the openings in which the trays slide. These flanged boards 7 are suitably attached to the fronts of the trays as by bolts 8 extending through the boards 7 and the fronts of the trays, and also through sleeves 9 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. In the same manner similar spaces are provided between the backs of the trays, and the back of the cabinet. Upon each of the foraminous bottoms t is placed a sheet 10 of heavy blotting paper or other absorbent material.

Upon the top of the cabinet is supported a cup or reservoir 11 for containing water, said cup having a central outlet 12 connected to a discharge pipe 13, extending into a flared pipe 14 supported centrally within the upper portion of the cabinet. The pipe 13 is provided with a suitable valve controlled by stem 15.

From the bottom 16 of the cabinet is suspended a lamp 17, projecting through the cabinet as shown in Fig. 3, and into a horizontal pipe 18 which extends diagonally across the cabinet from one corner to the opposite corner and then upwardly in a serpentine bend 19 on opposite side of the cabinet passing between the sides of the trays, and the side walls of the cabinet from front to back of the same and meeting at the center of the cabinet above the uppermost tray, and having a central discharge pipe 20 for the escape of the products of combustion below the cup 11.

The absorbent sheets 10 are each divided into four sections (Fig. 2) which are marked off into squares, the latter being numbered and each being adapted to have a seed placed thereon, the number permitting a record to be made of the seeds. lVater from the cup 11 drips through the pipes 13 and 20 upon the first or upper tray, and saturates the absorbent sheet thereon. The surplus water then passes through the Wire netting bottom of the uppermost tray onto the next tray and so on, until all of the trays sheets are saturated. A discharge pipe 21 is provided at the bottom of the cabinet. During this passage of the water heated air, the products of combustion from the lamp have been arising and heat radiating from the serpentine pipes. The radiated heat passes over and under each tray, and is finally discharged at the top of the cabinet, heating more or less the water in the cup 11. The combined action of moistening the absorbent sheets, and the circulation of warm air within the cabinet produces a humidity of the air which promotes germination of the seed. Our process insures an even and uniform action upon the entire contents of all of the trays and the result aimed at by the process is accomplished effectively and speedily.

Having thus described our invention; what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

The process of germinating seed in bulk, which consists in exposing the seeds out of contact with one another to the germinating influence of pure moist warmed air free from products of combustion and circulated continuously over and about said seeds, and

simultaneously supplying moisture to their upper surface by allowing water to drip on them,-and supplying Water from below at their areas of cont-act with a supporting surface by allowing the water to soak slowly through a porous absorbent support, said moisture being continuous and substantially uniform in quantity and initially supplied at a temperature substantially the same as thatof the circulating warm air, periodically withdrawing a part of said bulk of seed for inspection, and maintaining these germinating influences substantially constant until the good seeds germinate.

BURTON H. ADAMS. NVALTER C. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

ELSIE M. BUTLER, C. K. T. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

